The present invention relates to lids for beverage containers including disposable and nondisposable cups, mugs, thermoses, glasses, bottles, tea and soup bowls, and other drinking vessels. More particularly, the present invention relates to an improved lid for to-go use which can provide a person with simultaneous exposure to the taste and aroma of the beverage, thus providing a person with improved flavor perception, tasting experience, and safety from spills.
Everyday, across the world, people consume hot beverages throughout the day. In some countries, the day does not begin until a person has a cup (or several cups) of hot coffee or tea. Coffee, tea, and other hot beverages are consumed throughout the day, including after meals, with snacks, as pick-me-ups, and late into the night. Hot beverages are also consumed at all times of the year, and even during the warm seasons in many cultures. It is consumed in the home, at work, in cafes and restaurants, in the car, on public transportation, while walking, during recreational activities, during social gatherings, and many other settings. In recent years, the global hot beverages market accounted for almost one-third of global beverage volume consumption. In the U.S. alone, currently more than half of Americans over the age of 18 drink at least a cup of coffee each day. Hot beverage consumption continues to grow as branded hot beverage products gain more presence.
Hot beverage drinkers generally drink the beverage from a mug, or a disposable cup, travel mug, or thermos for on-the-go use. For many people, drinking a hot beverage from a mug is a more enjoyable experience than from a disposable cup. A person can control the amount of hot liquid consumed with each sip, while fully enjoying the aromas that waft from the beverage. For many coffee enthusiasts for example, the smell of the coffee is equally important, if not more so, as the taste of the coffee. The aroma of the beans provides more sensory information to the person to provide a fuller and richer tasting experience.
Disposable cups on the other hand, do not provide the same drinking experience as mugs. Disposable cups are provided with disposable lids which greatly limit how much liquid and aroma pass to the person. Most of these lids have a small hole that force the hot liquid into the person's mouth with little, if any, control. This can cause burns. The lid also limits the desirable aromas from being inhaled by the person while drinking. Most times, the person can only taste a sweet or bitter taste to the hot beverage, but cannot taste the full range of flavors of the drink, thus making the drink taste more bland than it actually is. In fact, the person may even smell the plastic or Styrofoam material of the lid instead. While some conventional lids may include a pinhole or vent to release steam, these openings are not sufficient to allow aromas to escape. What little aroma does escape is quickly dissipated into open air.
With a lid, a person may also not have sufficient space to place the nose while drinking. Lids generally have a flat surface, or a small indentation, on which the person's nose can hit with each sip. This forces the person to tip their entire head back just to finish the liquid at the bottom of the cup. This is uncomfortable for the person, and can cause dangerous or unpleasant results since hot liquids can spill or leak out of the top onto the person's body and clothing. Further, leaning the head back can cause the person to look away from where they are going while walking or driving, which can lead to very unsafe situations.
Thus, there is a need for a lid for a beverage cup or mug that provides a person with a natural and comfortable space for the nose while drinking. The lid also provides open areas to allow the aroma of the beverage to reach the person's nose to give a more pleasurable drinking experience. In particular, there is a need for an improved lid to allow for the aroma to be channeled more directly to the nose in an enclosed lid in order to provide the person with a full and concentrated aroma.